VisorCentral.com - Prism vs. Palm m130

Show 20 posts from this thread on one page

VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor Prism (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=19)
-- Prism vs. Palm m130 (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=22011)

Posted by coppertop on 03-06-2002 01:30 PM:

Prism vs. Palm m130

Has anyone compared the Prism with the new color palm? Thinking about switching to the Palm but have my reservations.

I like the expansion card option but fear the screen will be too small. I like the springboard slot but wish things could be smaller. I do have several modules and would hate to loose them. Anyone know if Palm is going to come out with a GPS attachment for the M series? I like the Rand McNally expansion card but don't know if I would like to give up the GPS function.

I wonder what a used Prism with modules are going for these days?

Posted by HindeR on 03-06-2002 05:33 PM:

Where o' Where did my PrismII Go?

I have been wondering the same thing. Well, kind of anyways. The new M515 looks really nice and the Clie's have been looking more and more attractive. So what's making me hold out for a PrismII? A HUGE investment in springboard modules:

Hagiwara Backup & 8MB Flash Module - favorite
Eyemodule
Eyemodule2
Magellan GPS Companion
ThinModem Plus
Two 8MB Flash Modules
Backup Module
InnoPak/2V (my poor substitute for the vaporware Six-Pak)
InnoPocket FlashPlus w/ 128MB card
Presenter to Go
Hagiwara 16MB Flash Module

Also a sizable investment in accessories:

Stowaway Keyboard
Purple Data Cable - serial travel hotsync cable for pocketHMI
FlipLid and FlipClip
Blue Sport Case from GoInCase
Travel Charger
USB hotsync cable
Serial Cradle

I would really not like to dump all these tools, but Handspring has not offered long-time Prism users a path forward. Are you reading this Handspring? If you have a PrismII or a color edge, please release it soon! The Treo is useless to me. I can take a Prism to work, but not something that transmits.

Posted by OrionNE on 03-06-2002 08:25 PM:

Your Not alone

I hear you.. Handspring needs to give us Prism users a upgrade path besides the TREO.

The Treo is GSM only and no good for me. I need CDMA. Besides that I want my Spring Boards!!!

OrionNE

Posted by xstitcher on 03-06-2002 08:38 PM:

Handspring if you're listening it's just not Prism owners that are waiting for your new color device. Those of us that thought you were going to be the innovators have hung on waiting and waiting and waiting ................................ as far as handhelds go you're stagnating not innovating

Posted by terrysalmi on 03-06-2002 09:59 PM:

If anyone switches to a M130 or a sony and wants a good way to get rid of their springboards, give them to a poor college student!

I doubt this will happen, but if you are feeling nice, pm me

__________________

Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Posted by jke on 03-06-2002 10:12 PM:

Amen

There just gotta be something in the pipe for us poor Prisim users (not loser). The 130 screen is to small, Sony means new everything and accossarories are slim. Please Handspring you brought back one unit. Spring is suppose to be colorful just give us a new color unit. While Sony and Palm have not got me hooked and color Handera might me go by by

Posted by harrisupstate on 03-07-2002 02:38 AM:

Agreed - the 130 screen is TINY!! After looking at my VDx for so long, that thing was like a wittle toy.

Posted by joer31 on 03-07-2002 02:32 PM:

I agree Handspring, either release a new color model with a springboard slot or lose me as a customer. My Prism is showing it's age and there is NO way I'm going to spend $125 to have it "repaired", I'd rather put that money towards a new Clie. I'd hate to give up my springboards but I figure I can live without everything but my GPS module and I can keep my old prism for that.

Posted by coppertop on 03-15-2002 11:21 PM:

Finally got my hands on a working display model of the m130. Seems like everybody around town was using the "non-working" display with the painted on screen. In comparing it with the Prism, it truly sucks.

The screen is considerably smaller and not nearly as sharp as the Prism. The selling point that you can see it better outdoors is not entirely accurate. I was able to take this one to the front door, salesman in tow, and compared the two in the dreaded direct sunlight. I couldn't tell the difference.

Size of the two devices are not that much different. The actual published diminsions are virtually the same. The curved body of the m130 gives you the illusion that it's smaller than the HS units but it really isn't. The MMD slot is nice but, I'll take the Springboard expansion slot over it any day.

If your considering buying the m130 or the Prism, I'de go with the Prism. Check the postings in the Prism topic and read up on the refurbished units HS is selling. So far, in my mind, only SOny has produced a Palm OS unit better than the Prism but the high cost of the unit, scarce availability of accessories, and the high cost of the accessories you do find goes against Sony's color units.

Posted by xstitcher on 03-16-2002 09:30 AM:

I've been holding out for a new color HS model to replace my VDX but was tempted by the m130 and finally took the plunge and bought one last night. Still testing it out but here are some first impressions.

While it's about the same size as the Prism it is definitely not as weighty - that's a plus for me. The color is very sharp, the processor seems faster. The screen feels solid not a lot of bounce back for graffiti. The biggest drawback is the very small screen. I was really concerned about that and still don't know how I feel about it. For day-to-day pim functions it's passable. The color helps. I'll be doing more reading on it this weekend that will be the real test.

Did a an outside viewing comparison with a co-workers Prism - while both had some darkening of the screen we both agreed that the m130 was easier to see in the sunlight.

IMHO if you already own a Prism probably not worth it to get the m130 but if you don't and can handle the smaller screen it's worth a try.

Info on a just annouced SD format GPS
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=3138

Posted by TDS_Computer on 03-27-2002 05:50 AM:

The Prism is about 18 months old now, and is in dire need for some kind of update. Even 16MB RAM and a new screen would be welcome! (What the heck, throw in a good speaker for good measure!)

I agree that the M130 is not a reasonable "Update" for the Prism. It seems to be more or less on par with the features of the Prism. So, Handspring should continue the Prism as a "Low End" competitor to the M130, and come out with a nice updated Prism for about $399.00 for those of us who need a little more power.

TDS

__________________
Visit us online at www.tdscomputer.com

Posted by HindeR on 03-27-2002 02:40 PM:

Shucks

I called Handspring corporate last week (650-230-5000) and begged them to give a little hope that a Prism upgrade will be coming so as to keep me as a Handspring customer and prevent me from buying something else. All I got was the standard reply of "We can not comment on future releases." The lady I spoke with seemed to not care whether I bought another Prism or some other brand.

Posted by Madkins007 on 03-27-2002 03:43 PM:

Re: Shucks

quote:
Originally posted by HindeR
I called Handspring corporate last week (650-230-5000) and begged them to give a little hope that a Prism upgrade will be coming so as to keep me as a Handspring customer and prevent me from buying something else. All I got was the standard reply of "We can not comment on future releases."

Of course, commenting on future releases causes LOTS of problems for tech companies- if things don't go well, it gets called vaporware or worse; sales of current models tend to die off; you give your competetors a head's up as to where the next competition is going to be and more. There really is not a lot of motivation to pre-announce... except maybe either desperation or absolute confidence.

Also... you gotta wonder about where Jeff Hawkins wants to go now. According to the book 'Piloting Palm' and other sources, he seems pretty sold on the 'communicator' idea. I wonder, in these days of declining sales and profits, how many projects they can really push on at once?

Another question- which direction is the PDA market going? Features and higher price? Simplicity and cheapness?

Some people have guessed, quite reasonably I think, that a 'Prism II' (or a color Edge) would run about $399, putting it in pretty direct competition with the Sony's and PocketPC's. Is this a 'good' place for a smaller company like Handspring to be?

This is just a guess, but I find myself thinking along slightly different lines...

Visor Pro or Neo in color (Visor Spectum?) Same form factor if technically possible, otherwise rigged to allow it to fit as many Deluxe cases as possible. 16 Mb (eh, maybe.), version 4.0 OS or newer, speaker- at least enough for an alarm, Screen similar to Prism but daylight viewable. Initial cost- $350, dropping to $299 the first Christmas, and settling at $250 (with the Prism dropping to $199 or so until sold out, or a solid trade-in program for them.)

Or...

A even less expensive model (The Visor Basic? Nah, not 'sexy' enough!) designed to use the Springboard slot with memory expansion as opposed to internal memory- similar to the old Visor with 2 MB (I am guessing it would have 4 Mb). It would have a newer OS and a louder alarm, and possibly a removeable faceplate (to allow it to be better customized to target groups), and use NiMH batteries, designed to be recharged in the cradle (like the Prism), but able to use 'AAA's when necessary.

It might be bundled with a CF card module, and then a series of CF cards pre-loaded with software and documents useful to different groups- grade school and older students, law students, med students, home-makers, seniors, etc. The cards would just be an added value- more a marketing ploy than a real benefit- pitched as 'use right out of the box!' functionality/ simplicity.

I can see these as being designed to eventually sell for as close to $100 as possible- or under, aiming stright for the 'cool but too expensive' audience- then picking them up with another model as they upgrade. (After all, they will have all these cool modules to re-use!)

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

All times are GMT. The time now is 12:53 AM.

Show 20 posts from this thread on one page